


nothing's even compared to you next to me

by Kroolea



Series: Modern Cobb Vanth/Din Djarin AU [13]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Adorable Grogu | Baby Yoda, Birthday Fluff, Cobb Vanth Being Cute, Cute, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Soft Din Djarin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 01:47:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28735191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kroolea/pseuds/Kroolea
Summary: Cobb shrugs. He doesn't really care, he likes all of his aunt's cooking."I'm making hot dogs for your birthday party so-""I don't want a party." He interrupts. She stops talking and looks up, her green eyes worried.---6 defining birthdays in Cobb Vanth's life
Relationships: Din Djarin/Cobb Vanth
Series: Modern Cobb Vanth/Din Djarin AU [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2059278
Comments: 12
Kudos: 96





	nothing's even compared to you next to me

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to Emery who came up with this idea AND for always writing me lovely reviews.

Cobb's most vivid memory of his child is of his fourth birthday.

His mother laughs as he helps her bake his cake. She hums under her breath as he tries to mix the ingredients in a bowl.

By the time the cake is actually in the oven, both of them are covered in flour and sugar. "Help me decorate for your party." She says, handing him a balloon. He plays with it, watching her hang up streamers.

"Wow, it looks great!" His father says when he gets home from the farm. He kisses his wife's cheek and picks up Cobb.

"What's all this for?" He asks, Cobb grins.

"It's my birthday, daddy." He giggles. Tom hums and pretends to make a confused face.

"Is it? I don't remember you having a birthday. Jess, is this actually little Jacobb's birthday?"

His mother laughs. "I think it is. You're getting so big, baby boy." She takes her son from Tom, who ruffles his bleach-blond hair.

"How old are you?" He asks, looking at Cobb fondly. Cobb proudly holds up four fingers.

"Good job. You are so smart."

The timer beeps, Cobb watches as his mother removes the cake from the oven and sets it on the counter. "Don't touch." She warns.

He nods solemnly. "It's hot."

The rest of the morning passes quickly, his father takes him to see the animals before his party.

Before he knows it his friends and family are singing Happy Birthday loudly as he stares into the dancing flames. He blows out all four candles with one breath, beaming as his mom kisses his cheek.

\---

Cobb shifts awkwardly as his classmates sing very loud and very off-key. He smiles at his teacher as he sits down after the song.

"Are you having a party?" His best friend, Jo, asks that day at lunch. Cobb shrugs.

"Maybe, 'pends on what Issa says."

Jo nods. "Will you invite me?"

He smiles. "'Course."

He doesn't want to celebrate his birthday. It won't be the same without his mom. This is his first birthday without her and she always did everything when it came to birthdays.

He rides the bus home, smiling at the bus driver who slips him a candy bar on his way out. "Happy birthday, little guy."

"I'm not little, I'm eight!" He puffs out his chest proudly. She laughs.

"I'm fifty. You're still pretty little compared to me." She shuts the door of the bus and drives off. Cobb walks inside slowly, Issa is tending to the garden out front.

"Hey, buddy." She wiped sweat off her forehead. "Did you have a good day?"

He nods. "Jo gave me a present."

Jo didn't actually get him a present but he doesn't want Issa to feel bad for him.

"That's exciting!" Issa follows him inside, taking off her gardening gloves and sets them by the door. "What would you like for supper?"

Cobb shrugs. He doesn't really care, he likes all of his aunt's cooking.

"I'm making hot dogs for your birthday party so-"

"I don't want a party." He interrupts. She stops talking and looks up, her green eyes worried.

"Why's that?"

She already knows why. But she asks anyways.

His eyes sting with tears. "Too much work." He tries. She sighs and brushes a stray bang away from his face.

"I know your momma usually did birthdays." Issa sighs. "And I'm not your momma, am I?"

He shakes his head. "No." He wipes his nose with the back of his sleeve. Issa hugs him. 

"But, I can do the best I can. Or we can do something new." She offers. He ponders this.

He doesn't want to make a cake. That was his mom's job, they always did it together.

"Can we make birthday cookies?" He asks. Issa smiles.

"Of course, Cobb."

And thus a new Vanth tradition was made: birthday cookies.

\---

Cobb is twelve years and eleven months old when his dad announces he'll be gone for a week in October.

Cobb doesn't immediately understand why his aunt looks so upset at the idea of his dad leaving. It occurs to him hours later when he's getting ready for bed.

His dad's not going be here for his thirteenth birthday.

Cobb blinks away stinging tears and shuts the door of his room. He's not surprised. His dad hasn't been very engaged with the family lately.

Missing his son's birthday was a new low.

However, Cobb doesn't show his disappointment. He smiles and eaves goodbye as his father gets in the truck and drives down the road the days before his birthday.

"How about we make some birthday cookies?" Issa suggests. Cobb glances at her for a brief moment.

"Maybe later. I wanna go explore with Jo." He is already tying his shoes and putting a hat on.

"Sounds good. Don't get lost!" She calls as he runs over to Jo's house. The two spend the day chasing crickets and snakes.

That evening, Cobb climbs onto the roof as the sun sets and cries. He misses him mom more than anything and he misses the man his dad used to be.

\---

It's on Cobb's sixteenth birthday that he kisses a boy for the first time.

Ryan is new in Gruene, just moved in a few months ago. He's the same age as Cobb and they instantly become friends. It's when Ryan comes out as gay that Cobb admits that he is too. They secretly start dating, making plans to leave Texas the moment they turn eighteen.

Ryan, a few months older, gets his license before Cobb. They spend hours driving the countryside in their free time. They are driving around the lake when Ryan parks and looks over at Cobb. "Happy birthday." He says, he leans in the back of his car and throws a wrapped box onto Cobb's lap.

Cobb opens the gift. He smiles when he opens the box to see a sweater and a book he had been wanting.

"Thanks. I love it." Cobb carefully places the items back into the box. The setting sun won't allow him to read much of anything and it's far too hot for the sweatshirt right now.

"Of course. Wanna sit in the bed of the truck?" Ryan asks. Cobb nods and the two scramble to get into the back.

They're pressed side by side, uncomfortably warm in the hot weather. Cobb watches the sunset with a smile on his face.

"This is the first good birthday I've had in years."

Ryan chuckles, he takes Cobb's hand in his. "I'm glad." His eyes flicker over Cobb's lips.

Before Cobb can say anything, Ryan's chapped lips are against his. Cobb, albeit surprised, kisses back.

They sit there, lips pressed together for a moment longer before Cobb pulls away and looks over his boyfriend's face.

"That was nice." Cobb muses, he kisses Ryan very tentatively.

\---

Cobb looks at his cracked phone screen for a long time before bursting into tears.

It's his twentieth birthday and his boyfriend, ex-boyfriend now, just broke up with him. Ryan blames it on the distance, he says that the long distance relationship isn't working, with him in college in Colorado and Cobb staying in Texas to study and help out his dad.

Cobb knows the distance isn't a problem for Ryan. He knows Ryan found someone else, someone better than Cobb. Probably smarter too.

It stings.

He picks up the thrown phone and tries to turn it on. It doesn't. He sighs and puts it on the table. He'll need a new one.

Good thing it's his birthday, right?

Tears spill down his cheeks. Ryan knew that birthdays were hard for him.

Cobb wonders if Ryan even remembered his birthday was today.

That stings too. Cobb scowls and sits on the swing chair in the porch. The creaky chains being some sort of odd comfort.

Today was supposed to be happy, it was supposed to be a big day. He's been alive for twenty years.

He can't find it in himself to care.

He makes himself cookies that night, Issa helps a little, bit questioninf why her nephew has decided to take it upon himself to make cookies. And if she sees the tears in his eyes, she neber mentions it.

\---

"Dada, dada, dada."

Cobb wakes up to two sticky hands on his face. When he nearly opens his eyes, dark eyes meet his.

Cobb closes his eyes and buries his face in his pillow. "Go back to bed, little rascal."

"No!" Grogu proclaims. He tries to tickle Cobb's side and when he gets no reaction, he lays down. "It's your birthday. Did you knowed that?"

Cobb lifts his head up slightly to look at his son. "I did know that. And I think that, as the birthday person. I should get to sleep in."

Grogu giggles. "Noooo! Papa is making you breakfast."

"That's sweet."

Grogu pouts. "He said wake you up."

Cobb sighs a long sigh. "I'm up." He doesn't bother to even lift his face from the pillow.

"Nuh-uh."

"Uh-huh."

"Nuh-uh."

"Uh-huh."

Cobb hears Grogu run away and then he hears the preschooler complaining to Din.

"You're going to break his little heart. You know how special birthdays are to Grogu." Din jokes. Cobb glares at his husband. Din makes a somewhat valid point, Grogu adores birthdays even more than Christmas.

"You did this." He points a finger accusingly. Din gives him a wide grin.

"Maybe."

"I hate you." Cobb mumbles, the words without any real anger behind them.

Din shrugs. "It's almost breakfast time. Get up."

Sighing, Cobb pulls himself out of bed and gets dressed.

Grogu is sitting on the counter watching Din cook. When he sees Cobb he flings himself at his father.

"Whoa! Be careful bud." Cobb says, holding the little boy as he makes himself coffee.

Grogu giggles. "Happy birthday!"

"Thanks, rascal."

Grogu looks proud. "We got you a present guess what it is."

Cobb has no idea. "A book?"

Grogu shakes his head, exchanging a glance with Din. "Nooo."

"I don't know then, Grogu."

Grogu turns to Din, pouting. "Can I give him the present?"

Din sighs. "Sure. Be careful though."

Grogu runs off and comes back with a box. Cobb leans against the counter and opens it. Inside is a bronze compass. Cobb grins and holds it up.

"It's pretty. Papa and I picked it out." Grogu climbs onto the counter, looking at it.

"It has our wedding date on it." Din explains. Cobb smiles and kisses his husband.

"I love this." He hugs Grogu. "Thanks."

"Time to eat?" Grogu looks toward Din. Din laughs and nods. Grogu clambers down and climbs into his chair.

Cobb sets the gift on the counter. He turns to Din, who is watching him.

"I love you." Cobb hums.

"Love you too. Happy birthday, babe."

**Author's Note:**

> 4 year old Grogu might my favorite. 
> 
> If you have any ideas for this AU or just wanna chat, my Insta and Tumblr are - @onceuponagalaxyfarfaraway


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